This invention relates generally to the design of therapeutic support pillows and more particularly to an infant support pillow proportioned to hold a small child or infant in a manner that prohibits lateral movement. It accomplishes this by its symmetric design and relatively equal height along the circumference of the support pillow. The vast majority of available pillow designs focus upon adult needs for support and concern the proper angle for the head and neck of an adult. The present invention features a pillow dimensioned for the support of an infant or small child. It is generally circular but discontinuous where tapered ends meet, defining a well in the center. When an infant's body is placed in this well, the head is supported by the central portion of the pillow and the feet extend out between the tapered ends so that the infant has an equivalent amount of firm padding on both left and right sides, thus preventing tilting to either side.
The underdeveloped bone structure of an infant and small child requires substantially more support than older children or adults. Given their underdeveloped musculature, infants are vulnerable to movements that place them off-balance from the midsagittal plane and cause them to tip over, thus requiring additional support.
Typical head support cushions for adults are dimensioned in height, width and depth to fit the head and neck of an adult. They also presuppose a degree of muscle control to hold them in place that is lacking in infants and small children. In each of these designs, the head rests above the top of the pillow and the neck is supported by a relatively stiff portion that runs along the back of the neck, concave about a vertical axis corresponding to the central vertebral axis of the neck. Each has a convex surface that conforms to the arch at the back of the neck. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,262 (Davis) discloses a toroidal segment, relatively stiff but pliable, which provides support in the form of an arch from the mastoid process, along the jaw of an adult or large child, to the chin. U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,081 (Price) discloses two versions of a head support device that contours around the neck, with free ends that apply gentle pressure upon the mastoid processes. U.S. Pat. No. 2,167,622 (Bentivoglio) is proportioned to support the head and neck, leaving the shoulders and hair free, as when curlers are worn.
A contoured pillow with a central aperture is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,728 (Lake). The body of the pillow is rectangular, with a curved depression centrally positioned so that the head above the temples is supported, as are the neck and chin, but the user's face is suspended above the depression and exerts no force upon the foam body of the pillow. The irregularly shaped depression is specifically contoured to avoid contact with the face.
The ornamental design of a horseshoe-shaped pillow is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 124,296 (Thompson). It features flat outer and inner walls, as well as flat side walls, with no overlap of the free ends. There is no indication of size, composition or degree of support provided by this ornamental design.
A pillow designed for the support of infants and small children while asleep in a sitting position is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,085 (Antonio). It consists of a thin, U-shaped inset of foam rubber covered with fabric. It is placed about the head so that the neck fits into the U-shaped opening and the free ends extend down the chest of the infant, forming a shelf-like configuration about the shoulders. When the infant nods its head downward, forward, or to either side, the shelf of foam rubber supports the head from further movement. This device supports only the head, not any other portion of the infant's body.
An apertured article for use as an infant's head rest is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,281 (Mathews). This toroidal foam rubber cushion is covered in fabric and dimensioned so the ear of the infant will project into the aperture. The cover is made of a flat piece of fabric that lines the aperture and joins to side pieces to form a circle at each side. As a result, the cushion has a shape similar to an automobile tire.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide support for the entire body of an infant or the upper torso of a small child.
It is another object is to provide lateral support to prevent the infants or children from slipping sideways as they rest over the central portion of a horseshoe shaped support.
Another object is to provide support of the neck and head of an infant to avoid muscle strain.
A further object is to provide a comfortable cushion for an older child while sedentary, such as while watching TV or reading.